Liverpool got back on the Premier League winning trail by sweeping aside Bournemouth 3-0 with Luis Diaz at the double.
Nottingham Forest stunned Anfield last weekend to end Arne Slot’s perfect start but Liverpool were in ruthless mood against the Cherries, racing into a 3-0 lead at half-time.
Diaz took advantage of Kepa Arrizabalaga charging off his line into no man’s land to gift Slot’s team the lead before the Colombian fired home a second just two minutes later.
Darwin Nunez marked his first start of the season with a beautiful curling effort into the far corner as Liverpool threatened to run riot. That was the end of the scoring though as despite registering 12 shots on target, the home side could not add further gloss to the victory.
It could have been a very different afternoon had Antoine Semenyo’s goal after just six minutes not been ruled out for offside by VAR. The Bournemouth forward skipped behind the Liverpool backline but Stockley Park stepped in to show he had strayed ahead of the play.
After that wobbly start, Liverpool found their stride and moved top of the Premier League for the time being.
Analysis: Electric Diaz adding goals to his repertoire
Luis Diaz scores Liverpool’s second goal against Bournemouth
Sky Sports‘ Lewis Jones:
“Diaz has five goals to his name already this season. It took him until November last season to reach that milestone which suggests Slot, who has a reputation for improving attacking players, is having an impact on the uptick of Diaz’s output in front of goal. He’s working at a rate of a goal every 72 minutes – not quite Erling Haaland’s levels of one every 39 minutes, but it’s still a phenomenal early-season purple patch.
“Both his goals were all about energy. Diaz nipped in to control a direct ball on his thigh, rounded Kepa and fired past the covering Julian Araujo on the line. The second was equally as clinical, Mohamed Salah laying off a quick pass to Trent Alexander-Arnold who was given free rein to carry forward, delaying his pass to Diaz who shifted it onto his left foot before firing home.
“He is electric when in this mood.”
Analysis: Lots of shots, no threat by Bournemouth
Andoni Iraloa’s side could not convert their chances
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
“It may not have felt like it having watched the game but Bournemouth’s tally of 19 shots was the most Liverpool have faced in a game at Anfield since 2014 when Everton also registered 19.
“That statistic implies they perhaps deserved more than the 3-0 defeat. But they didn’t.
“Liverpool were comprehensively the better side.
“This is the thing with Andoni Iraola’s football at Bournemouth – they do so many things right and play such an aggressive game that opens teams up but can’t get results against the elite.
“They have now failed to win any of 13 Premier League games vs last season’s top-six – winning just two points from a possible 39.
“Those 19 shots only equated to an expected goals figure of 1.03 which tells you the shots they were taking on were low probability ones. Across their last two games they have posted 38 shots but have failed to score. It’s something the manager must address.”
Slot praises Liverpool’s reaction
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Liverpool manager Arne Slot praised his team’s attackers after they helped the Reds defeat Bournemouth 3-0 at Anfield to move top of the Premier League table.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot: “I said to them today in the pre-match meeting that I learn from them day by day and I was really curious to see how we would react after the Milan game. What I know from the start – and what I knew before I even started – is that there is a lot of quality in this team, that’s clear, but we are not the only one. There are a lot of quality teams in this league.
“So, winning games is not so difficult if you have so much quality, but if you want to win more than only a few games it’s also about mentality. After the United game, which was a big win, or a statement win I think you call it here in England, then to see us coming back against Nottingham Forest like that, that was not what you expect from a team that wants to compete for something.
“After the big win against AC Milan I was curious to see how we would react today – and it was a much, much better reaction than we had against Nottingham Forest.”
Iraola rues lack of cutting edge
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola: “The stats were quite level but they were better when it mattered.
“When the game is on the line. They were much bet,ter than us. When they had the chances they made the difference.
“They are very dangerous, they have a lot of speed, especially up front with Darwin, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, they have a threat in behind.
“You look at the stats and I think we had 20 shots and seven corners. We had momentum but it had less value.”
Opta: Christie’s quickfire yellow
- Ryan Christie’s yellow card after 24 seconds for Bournemouth is the earliest card received in the Premier League since Sadio Mané earned a yellow card after 14 seconds for Liverpool against Chelsea in January 2022.
- Among games that have been played at least 15 times in the Premier League, only Manchester United against Wigan (3.13 – 50 goals in 16 games) have averaged more goals per game than Liverpool against Bournemouth (3.07 – 46 goals in 15 games).
- Alexander-Arnold recorded his 100th goal involvement for Liverpool with his 81st assist for the club (19 goals also).
